London in the Dog-Days
by Argonaut57
Summary: Victorian London swelters in an oppressive summer. The heat brings terror with it, as headless bodies begin to be found. Rumours of a new Ripper draw John Druitt back to London to confront his old allies at Sanctuary, an old enemy, Madame Vastra, the Veiled Detective, and a new, unearthly foe -the Predator!
1. Chapter 1

**London in the Dog-Days**

**Part One**

The night was hot, stiflingly so, and the sweat poured down John Druitts' lean frame. But there was no stopping yet. He had to shake the thing off, and he was beginning to wonder if he actually could. There was nowhere he could run to -he would not go to Sanctuary with this thing on his tail! Much as he would love to see it butcher James Watson, he couldn't bring himself to place Helen in danger, even now.

The thing was stronger than he, and agile to boot. Absolutely fearless and rugged enough to ignore the two deep slashes he had managed to inflict, albeit at the cost of a stab wound that would have been fatal had he been one whit less quick. The blade had slid through the muscles of his chest at an angle, painful but not disabling, and the thing within him was already healing it. But he would not close with his quarry again.

Ironic that he had come to hunt the very thing that now relentlessly pursued him. The tales of headless bodies turning up in the worst areas of London had brought him back. Another Ripper panic was liable to start, and John Druitt intended to put a stop to it first. The poor sick psychopath who he'd used for cover before was dead, killed by that abominably clever veiled woman on the night she had run Druitt out of town. He had things to do, and they did not include having Madame Vastra on his trail again!

But the hunter had too rapidly become the hunted. His ambush had been flawless, catching the creature as it collected another trophy. But its reactions had been astoundingly fast, that was how he had been wounded. Clearly some kind of Abnormal, the beast also had advanced technology. As well as a variety of bladed weapons, it had some kind of shoulder-mounted gun that fired bolts of energy. He guessed also that its visor allowed it to see more than a human could.

He had only two advantages. His own enhanced senses allowed him to hear, smell and feel the creature despite its ability to become invisible, and he was faster. Even so, the beast was clever. Druitt had to keep his teleports random in direction and distance. If he established a pattern, he could reappear into fire.

So he ran, taking to the rooftops, teleporting only when he had to. Dodging, twisting, diving into foul alleys, trying to lose himself in the mazes of Londons' huge warehouses. But the hunter never faltered, never relented. Like a wolf, it would run him down eventually, unless he could tire it first. His endurance was superhuman, but so was his opponents'. Still, if it tired first and gave up the chase, he might yet track it to its lair. Then, with the help of Helen, Watson and Tesla, he would be able to trap or kill it.

But that might yet prove impossible. He was forced to the rooftops again, bounding from one to the other. He felt the heat-spots on his back, and teleported behind a chimney-stack as the energy weapon demolished the roof-tiles where he'd been. He glanced out. The beast was reorienting itself, clearly scanning with some kind of special vision.

But just as it locked in on him again, another element entered the hunt. With a wasp-like snarl, a bolt of red energy struck the tiles near the hunters' feet, shattering them into dust and smoke. The creature swept the area for this new threat, but two more bolts, each a little nearer, sent it staggering back. With a surprisingly human gesture of disgust, it went invisible again.

Druitt realised it was fleeing and made to follow. Now was his chance! But another red bolt struck just in front of him - a clear warning not to proceed. Normally, he would have ignored it, but he had already lost the trail – the thing was fast.

He glanced down into the street where the fire had come from. He glimpsed a squat figure disappearing up a passage. He considered following, but, the risk was too great -whoever it was had advanced weaponry that could only come from one source in 19th Century London. Best head for Sanctuary. Much as he loathed his former colleagues, he needed them now more than ever!

"It was, as you suspected, Madame," Strax announced, "what is called a Predator. One of them once disrupted operations at 207th Army Headquarters for an entire afternoon."

"So I was correct in my deduction." The Silurian woman nodded. "This situation requires careful handling."

"May I ask why I was not permitted to simply obliterate it?" Strax could not conceal the disappointment in his voice.

"Because," Vastra explained patiently, "by his lights, he has done nothing wrong. We need to speak with him, or them if there are others. Earth is one of their traditional hunting grounds, but we must make it clear to them that they need to restrict themselves to remote rural areas from now on. Humans are currently largely helpless against them, but within a very short time, that will change.

"Humans are not truly hunters, and they are very territorial. They would respond to Predator activity in their urban centres as they would to a military invasion, and the consequences would be appalling for both species."

"I have another matter to report." Strax went on. "The Predator was in a pursuit of a human at the time. I identified the individual as John Druitt. When I warned the Predator off, he was attempting to follow it. I also fired a warning shot at him, as I had no orders to engage fully."

"Druitt?" Jenny was surprised. "Thought you saw 'im off?"

"So did I." Vastra mused. "John Druitt is a man of considerable intelligence. If he heard of the recent killings, he would suspect, as I do, that people would say the Ripper had returned."

"So 'e's come back to nip it in the bud 'cos 'e doesn't want you chasin' 'im again?" Jenny suggested.

"Very likely." Vastra agreed. "But having encountered the Predator, he would assume it is what he and his former colleagues would refer to as an 'Abnormal'.

"If he is in sufficient control of himself to take note of your warning, Strax, then it is probable he will seek assistance from Sanctuary. Whether they will grant it or not is another matter. Certainly, though, they too will seek to deal with the Predator."

"Bloody 'Elen Magnus!" Jenny growled. "I 'ope that fing catches 'er and uses 'er 'ead as a ruddy football!"

"Helen Magnus is a brilliant and dedicated woman." Vastra pointed out. "I admire her work, even if her ignorance of certain facts makes her troublesome occasionally."

"She wants to lock you up in 'er private zoo!" Jenny said hotly. "Strax, too!"

"I will never be held in any zoo!" Declared the Sontaran stoutly. "I do not care for peanuts. Especially when they are thrown at me!"

"We will deal with Magnus as and when we must." Vastra stated firmly. "For now we need to locate the Predators' ship, which he will be using as a base. We must also ensure that the human authorities do not put themselves in danger by encountering the Predator directly."

"Not much chance of that." Jenny remarked. "Coppers are a dead loss, as usual!"

"It is due to the current development of their civilisation, my dear." Vastra pointed out. "There were similar periods in Silurian history when it was near impossible to keep order in our larger cities."

"Such a thing has never occurred in Sontaran society!" Strax boasted.

"Yeah." Jenny allowed. "But Sontarans don't 'ave fun, either!"

"On the contrary." Strax told her. "One can have a good deal of harmless amusement with a box of grenades!"

Watson kept his revolver aimed steadily at Druitts' head, which was, to say the least, tiresome. Druitt was more than capable of taking the thing away from the man at any time, of course. However, the presence of Nikola Tesla was a definite inhibition. The Vampire was a match for Druitt in combat, and though Druitt could teleport away, that would leave him to face the creature on his own, a prospect he did not relish.

He kept his attention fixed on Helen. That wasn't difficult, she was as lovely as ever, but her eyes were hard.

"I'm not even sure it's really an Abnormal." He was saying. "The level of technology it possesses is far beyond anything even Tesla here could dream up."

Tesla snorted in disbelief, but Helen quelled him with a look.

"So you came here for protection?" She asked. "Safety? Why come back to London at all, John?"

He gave a weary shrug. "I would not have done, Helen, except for the rumours which must come from this. Rumours that the Ripper has returned."

This time it was James Watson who snorted, in disgust. "You're a liar, Druitt! This killer hunts men, not women. He beheads his victims, rather than gutting them.

"Even the police don't think this is the Ripper! Admit it, Druitt, you're here for Helen!"

"Of course I'm a liar, James." Druitt was rather sad than angry. "But not this time. No, the police don't think it's the Ripper. But the people, those poor fools who scratch and starve in this stinking city, they will cry 'Ripper'."

"But not for long." Helen told him. "They would change it, come up with a new name, a new bogeyman to scare children with.

"There's more, isn't there, John?"

He nodded soberly. "There is one person in the city who would not hesitate to connect me with these killings. Who would simply think I had changed my methods, or my reasons. I didn't leave the city because of you, James. I respect you, but I don't fear you. The Veiled Detective, however, is a different matter!"

Helen got up impatiently and began to pace.

"Vastra!" She hissed. "She's a fool! How long does she think she can put people off with her talk of a 'skin disease'. I've seen what's under that veil, and she's an Abnormal. She belongs here with us, in safety. If she stays outside, sooner or later, she'll be found out. They'll hound her to death.

"Does she know you're here, John?"

He nodded, and said grimly. "I think she must. There was someone else there tonight, someone with an energy weapon. But it wasn't Vastra. It was short, squat-looking, but moved very fast."

Helen looked at Watson, who reluctantly put away his pistol and went to a bookcase, pulling down a large commonplace book. He searched through the pages until he found the one he wanted, then handed it to Druitt. The page held a photographic image of three people. One was an ordinary young woman, rather pretty but otherwise normal. Next to her was another woman, but with a scaled skin, no hair and an oddly ridged skull. Slightly behind was a third figure, shorter than the girl but very broad. There was no neck that Druitt could see, the head seemed built from the shoulders in the manner of a pyramid. It was hairless too, but the skin was smooth, not scaled. The face looked ridiculously small, with close-set, penetrating eyes, a beaky nose and a small mouth.

"Madame Vastra, of course, and her 'maid' Jenny. They seem to have a very close relationship." Watson remarked. Tesla snorted again.

"Sapphists, you mean!" He said in a tone more of amusement than disgust. "Sapphists may do as they will in this fair, Christian land, but the poor Sodomites must go to prison or go without!"

Watson ignored him and went on. "The other one joined Vastra's entourage not long ago. He's her butler, footman, coachman and general factotum. He calls himself Mr Strax and claims to be a Brazilian pygmy!"

"I can't be absolutely certain, of course." Druitt allowed. "But it may well have been him. Either he's a poor shot, or he wasn't interested in killing either of us."

"The latter, then." Helen said firmly. "I have seen Mr Strax shoot, and he does not miss unintentionally."

She resumed her pacing.

"So, Madame Vastra knows of this Abnormal. Knows what it is and what it is doing. But she clearly instructed her henchman not to kill it. Why? She's been quite ruthless in the past."

"She wasn't with me." Druitt pointed out. "She could quite easily have killed me, that time, she had me at swords' point with nowhere to go."

"What did she say to you?" Watson asked.

Druitt shrugged. "She said it wasn't my time yet and to get out of London, and stay away."

Helen shook her head in frustration. "She knows things, has access to information we don't. I'm sure she knows what this creature is and all about it. But what does she want with it? Never mind, we'll find out if we come across her again.

"James, what do you have?"

Watson rubbed at his chin. "The creature chooses healthy, male victims. So far, a seaman, a former soldier employed as a watchman and a well-known 'hard man' from a local criminal gang. All of them were identified by their clothing and effects, which were matched to men who had gone missing.

"The bodies were found early in the morning, some distance from their usual haunts. They had been decapitated, but that was not the cause of death. One had been stabbed at least three times, and appears to have put up a struggle. Another had a penetrating would clean through his chest and heart, rather like a spear wound. The third had a hole..._burned_...right through his torso.

"In the absence of any other explanation, I'd be inclined to say the thing is a hunter. Selecting prey for the quality of the chase they will give -there are many easier victims in this city – running them down and taking trophies.

"The only sure thing we have is that these chases seem to start in the docks area. That tells us two things. One is that the Abnormal has its base somewhere near, or possibly in, the river. The other is that we have a search on our hands -the Port of London is the largest area of docks in the world.

"As to what Druitt tells us about its weapons and abilities, that's more in your line, Tesla."

Tesla frowned, and spoke with less than his usual irritating drawl. "Griffin's our expert on invisibility, but he's in Paris at the moment. Then again, the Abnormals' ability to vanish seems to be technological rather than natural or based on a drug. I've thought about how to do that from time to time, myself. Stage magicians use angled mirrors to convince audiences that things have vanished, but that requires a lot of setting up in advance -it's not mobile. You can use prisms to refract or bend light – some kind of suit or coating that bends light around the wearer? It might even be done with a strong enough magnetic field.

"Seeing in the dark is childs' play -there are lots of ways to do that. This being may not even see in ordinary light as we do. It could be able to 'see' heat, for instance.

"The energy weapon is a different matter. _We_ don't have any source of power small yet strong enough to produce anything but the most pathetic spark. Clearly, others do. I'd like to get my hands on one!"

"Why not just make one?" Druitt mocked.

"Oh, I will, eventually." Teslas' drawl was back.

"Enough!" Helen snapped. "Right now we need to find and stop this Hunter. Do any of you have any thoughts on that?"

Watson nodded. "In India, they hunt tigers -especially man-eaters – from ambush. They tether a goat to a tree, then lie in wait with their guns."

Helen smiled grimly. "There are plenty of places near the docks where we could set up an ambush. All we need is bait!"

Druitt laughed -a mirthless bark – and said. "What better bait than a quarry which has already eluded the hunter once? I'll lead him into your trap, but I could do with a meal and some sleep, first!"

**Authors' Note**

The term 'dog-days' used in the title is an old-fashioned reference to the hottest and sultriest days of summer, which in the Northern Hemisphere are typically July and August (or were at the time this story is set). The term itself has its roots in Ancient Rome, where the hottest summer weather was associated with the rising of Sirius, the so-called dog-star and brightest star in the night sky, just before sunrise. This no longer happens due to the precession of the equinoxes, but the name stuck for quite some centuries.

It is a known characteristic of Predator behaviour that they only visit Earth during the hottest of summers.

Teslas' comments about Sapphists and Sodomites refer to the **Offences against the Person Act 1861** which specified a jail term of ten years to life in penal servitude (with hard labour) for male homosexual behaviour, but made no mention at all of Lesbians (Sapphists). The story goes that Queen Victoria did not believe that women would engage in these unsavoury activities and therefore deemed such a law unnecessary!


	2. Chapter 2

**London in the Dog-Days**

**Part Two**

_Will this heat never end?_ Helen Magnus wondered. _For that matter, will a time ever come when women are allowed to wear clothing suitable to the temperature?_ At least a strict, self-imposed regimen of diet and exercise freed her from the imprisonment of stays!

She was crouched behind some packing cases on a gallery that made up the first floor of a warehouse the Sanctuary owned. Tesla and Watson were also placed strategically, as they had been for the last two nights. Druitt was out roaming the area they had defined as being the home-ground of the Hunter, as they called it. Perhaps tonight, he could draw its attention.

A bell sounded shrilly. Druitt was on his way! He'd managed to activate the electric warning system Tesla had devised. They had three minutes. Helen readied her weapon and waited.

Druitt was punctual, slipping in through the door and moving to the centre of the bare, wooden ground floor. There he turned and faced the door, pulling out the knives with which he was so lethal.

"Come on!" He yelled angrily. "I've had enough running! Let's settle this now, if you've got the spine!"

Whether the Hunter understood the words or not, the tone was unmistakable, and it responded. There was a kind of shimmer from near the door, and it was there. The electric lighting was dim, and it was hard to make out details, but it was manlike in shape, tall and well-muscled. It was clothed, if that was the word, in some kind of harness from which a variety of devices and weapons were suspended. There were some kind of tendrils growing from its head which might or might not have been hair, and its face was covered by a metal mask.

For a moment, it stood there, as if considering its' antagonist. Then it reached up and removed a pistol-like device from a mount on its' shoulder and hung it from the harness. Then it drew a long-bladed knife and began to advance on Druitt, shoulder first, knife held low, point higher than hilt. An experienced fighter, then.

The two figures on the floor circled each other, each looking for an opening. Or so it seemed, until Druitt had manoeuvred his opponent into the centre of the floor. Then he teleported away, and at the same instant a heavy net fell from the gallery over the Hunter, swiftly followed by another.

The Abnormal didn't panic or thrash about. Calmly, it began to work on the net with its' knife. The nets were heavy cable, designed to hold the most powerful of recalcitrant Abnormals, but the knife was clearly made of some very sharp, hard alloy, and was cutting it slowly.

Helen knew she had very little time. The chloroform spray had limited range, and she had to get right above the creature to make sure she covered it. Glad of her riding breeches, she set off across the narrow catwalk that stretched across the warehouse, and had been set up just for this occasion. She had drawn this task over James' and Johns' protests, because she was the lightest and most sure-footed.

But she never reached her destination. A compact figure suddenly dropped from the darkness above to land on the catwalk in front of her. There was a flash of silver, and the spray was knocked from her hands. Jenny held the sword in a pose of casual readiness and smiled engagingly.

"No you don't Dr Magnus." She said brightly. "I don't know if this fing can 'old both of us, so why don't you just turn round and go back, quick-like?"

Unarmed, Helen had no choice, but she did wonder what had happened to the others.

Teslas' responsibility had been the second net. Now, as agreed, he waited. If the chloroform spray did not work, he was to aid Druitt in physically subduing the Abnormal. He was concentrating on the creature in the net, so only caught what happened to Helen via his peripheral vision. He was about to race round to assist her when he was seized. Thick, powerful hands grabbed him by the wrists and twisted both his arms up behind him. He struggled, but all his Vampire strength was useless, he was held as easily as a child. A voice spoke behind him.

"I was bred under a force of gravity far in excess of this planets', you will not break my grip. I advise you to cease wasting your efforts. My orders are only to restrain you. Perhaps another time we can fight more fairly, and I will then obliterate you!"

Druitt had teleported up into the rafters, and been watching Helen. Had he attempted to snatch her from the catwalk, the frail structure might well have given way under the weight of all three, and the consequences of killing or injuring Helen were not to be thought of. He dropped to the gallery, looking for reinforcements, and found Watson out cold. He was about to go for Tesla when cold steel touched his neck and he froze.

"Really, Mr Druitt!" Purred Vastra. "I expected better of you. Now pick up Mr Watson and let us go and meet Dr Magnus."

Helen was clearly furious. Jenny was equally clearly unimpressed. Tesla, on the other hand, had relaxed in Straxs' unbreakable grip and was watching with wry amusement.

"Listen!" Helen was saying. "You have to let me use the chloroform now. It will be free soon!"

"O' course 'e will." Jenny replied. "Good fing, too. Ain't good manners to go droppin' nets on people."

"Jenny!" Vastra spoke sharply. "What have I told you about saying 'ain't'?"

"My apologies, Madame." Jennys' Cockney accent suddenly vanished. "I was simply pointing out to Dr Magnus the proper etiquette to observe with visitors."

"Your 'etiquette'," said Helen bitterly, "has let a killer loose. Look!"

She pointed down to where the Hunter had cut through the nets and was now standing staring up at them, apparently puzzled.

Vastra stepped up to the rail of the gallery and called down to it in a hissing, growling language. It responded with mixed surprise and impatience. Vastra spoke again, more commandingly. The creature gave a nod of grudging acquiescence, then turned and loped out through the door.

"Now, Dr Magnus," Vastra said, "we need to talk. But not here."

Helen adapted. "We could return to Sanctuary."

"I think not." Vastra smiled. "I can hardly imagine that, once within, Strax and I would be permitted to leave easily. We will go to my house, and I hope it will not be necessary to compel anyone."

It was perhaps the oddest experience James Watson had had. Jenny, transformed into a prim and proper parlourmaid, had served tea and sandwiches and now waited quietly in a corner of the room, listening to everything. Strax had relieved them of their hats and coats with the polish of a well-trained footman, but now stood beside the door, as impassive and immovable as a Guardsman outside Buckingham Palace.

Vastra was speaking to Helen with an air of extreme patience.

"There are no Abnormals here, Dr Magnus. No genetic anomalies or mutations, no offshoots of humanity. Yes, you may well look at me, but my people, the Silurians, were the first intelligent race on this planet. We were far more advanced than your race has since become, but we made one mistake, and sent ourselves into hibernation. I was awoken by accident and have made shift to create a life for myself here.

"Strax is not native to Earth. He is a Sontaran, a cloned warrior from a far-away world. He is here to pay off a debt of honour.

"The being you call a Hunter is also not of Earth. He is indeed a hunter, one of a race of such beings who dwell in space, travelling from world to world, seeking worthy quarry. They have been coming to Earth for millions of years always in the hottest of summers. They once hunted we Silurians, until we reached a level of technology equal to theirs. Then we made a treaty with them. They still came, to hunt our most dangerous animals, but they left us in peace. Since we have slept, they have begun to hunt humans. Regrettable, but understandable.

"You should leave me to deal with this Predator. This matter is none of your concern.

"Believe me, Dr Magnus, I understand and approve of your work, but this is not part of it."

Helen shook her head. "I believe you believe what you are saying, Vastra. But all I see is one dangerous Abnormal and two misguided ones.

"This...Predator if you must, has to be stopped before he kills again, and that is our responsibility, Sanctuarys' responsibility.

"So are you and Strax, however much you may deny it. You can't stay safe for long. Sooner or later, the ignorant and the afraid will turn on you, and then it will be harder for us to help you. If you come to us now, you'll be safe."

Vastra smiled. "I would thank you for your concern, Dr Magnus, if I could be entirely sure that it had more to do with our safety than your urge to study us.

"Rest assured, our plans are laid. When it is time to leave, we will go where nobody will ever find us.

"But I must urge you again to leave the Predator to us. If you persist, I cannot guarantee your safety."

Helen rose. "Thank you for the tea, Madame Vastra. I think there's nothing more for us to discuss."

Vastra inclined her head, and that was that.

Back at Sanctuary, Helen was pacing again. Watson had never seen such energy in another person, it was a wonder that she didn't spontaneously combust! He himself was tense, despite the soreness of his neck where Vastra had so deftly rendered him senseless. Tesla, on the other hand, seemed perfectly relaxed, sitting sipping wine and watching Helen amusedly.

"She's deluded, of course," Helen was saying, "and she's dragged the other two into it. Perhaps she has some mesmeric ability, I don't know. But we can't concern ourselves with her right now. We have to capture the Hunter, quickly!"

"Have you ever considered," Tesla suggested gently, "that Vastra might be telling the truth?"

Helen shook her head. "Not possible, Nikola. A civilisation such as the one she described could _not_ have existed and left no evidence! As for life on other worlds, do you realise how minute the chances are? Life evolved on this planet against unspeakable odds, what are the chances of its doing so elsewhere? And if it did, what are the odds against a being from another world coming here?"

Tesla ticked off points on his fingers. "First, we've only discovered a fraction of this worlds' history. I doubt we ever will know more than a tenth of even what we call 'recorded' history, so prehistory, or even pre-prehistory, is far beyond our reach. There might very well have been dozens, perhaps hundreds, of other races who've lived on Earth before us. There are legends about such things – the Elder Ones, the so-called Great Race, the Spawn of Cthulhu – that might have more truth than we know.

"Second, however little we know about our own world, we know infinitely less of what might be out there! There are theories, you know, which make out that our evolution, far from being a remote possibility, was almost inevitable. Also, it's very probable that the Universe is much, much bigger than we can tell at the moment. Every new star is a sun, that sun might have planets, one of those planets might very well have life. That life might be more evolved than us, more developed. They might make their way here, for all we know."

"So, we should just leave Vastra to deal with the Hunter? Is that what you're saying?" Helen asked derisively.

Tesla shook his head. "I'm saying nothing of the kind." He replied gravely. "But I am asking you, Helen, to consider the possibility that you may not be the only person in London, or indeed the world, who knows what they are doing!

"It may be to our advantage to hold back, let Vastra make her attempt. Should she succeed, we will have lost nothing, should she fail, we will be able to sweep them all up.

"I presume that you had something of the kind in mind, Helen, since you asked Druitt to keep watch on Vastra and her people?"

Helen nodded. "I'm certain she asked the Hunter to meet with her, probably on neutral ground. John will be able to let us know if they leave the house. We can follow them, and be ready if and when the Hunter betrays them.

"As to 'sweeping them all up', the Hunter must be killed or contained. But I'm averse to bringing anyone into Sanctuary against their will. Whatever perverse influence Vastra has over Strax, it is at least preventing him from harming people. Vastra herself is clearly highly intelligent. I have to hope that, sooner or later, she will see the sense in coming to us."

"If she is what she says she is," Tesla could not help pointing out, "then to her, we are the Abnormals, and we need her more than she needs us!"

"What do you mean?" Watson asked.

Tesla shrugged. "If her race, these Silurians, were to awake and want their world back, then we would need someone to speak for us."

For some reason, even Helen had no answer to that.

"The one called Druitt has remained behind." Strax announced. "He is obviously their scout. Do you wish me to annihilate him?"

Vastra shook her head. "Tempting as the idea is, Strax, I think not. Helen Magnus is not one to abandon a conviction, and she is convinced that the Predator is a threat to us as to everyone else. Either she or Watson will have deduced that we intend to parley with the Predator, and she intends to be there.

"To prevent that would delay us, and the Predators are not a patient race. We must go ahead as planned. You know the meeting place?"

Strax nodded. "There is only one way in or out for anyone except the Predator and Druitt. If Dr Magnus' cohorts wish to come at us, they must go through Jenny and I. They will fail."

Vastra frowned. "Let Magnus pass. The Predator will be more than able to deal with Druitt alone. I will deal with Magnus. The experience might be instructive for her."

It was one of those odd corners you find in any city. A roughly-paved, weed-grown court enclosed by the windowless backs of tall buildings. Lighter patches in some of the walls showed where doors that once let onto the court had been bricked up, and access was by a single, narrow, roofed-in alleyway. In among the weeds that grew between the flags were scattered paper wrappers and bags, cigar and cigarette ends that testified to the court being a refuge where clerks might take their hasty lunch and smoke during the day. In another area of the city, this might be a haunt of prostitutes, or of those with criminal business to conduct. But here, the warehouses and commercial offices were closed for the night, and the place was empty.

Vastra scented the Predator before she saw it, it was cloaked. She came forward slowly into the centre of the court and halted a respectful distance from where she sensed it was. The Predator uncloaked and stood considering her for a moment. Then it reached up and removed its mask, revealing the close-set, intense eyes, bulging forehead and crab-like jaws of its kind.

"The others?" He asked.

"We could not dissuade them." Vastra admitted "They will come. We are ready to help you hold them off. Without killing, if we can."

"They are fine hunters." The Predator allowed. "They almost trapped me. I have been expecting this for some time. I have hunted here often. The natives are less strong than your kind were, but more cunning, and they are savage at bay. I carry many scars from them.

"We had thought your kind long dead. The asteroid did much damage, and we did not return for many ages afterwards. Not until creatures worthy of the hunt emerged here again. We assumed you had survived, but found no trace of you. We were saddened."

Vastra nodded. "We made an error. We over-estimated the potential damage of the asteroid and assumed the Earth would remain uninhabitable for much longer than it did. We buried our cities and sent ourselves to sleep. I was awakened by accident some years ago, but have made a life for myself here.

"These apes, these humans, you describe them well. But there is something else in them, a spark of greatness that, given time, might allow them to equal or surpass what we Silurians achieved.

"They learn quickly, their weapons, their organisation, improve with each passing year. I know you cannot speak for the Tribes, but I ask you to take this message back. Stay way from their cities. If you must come here to hunt, do so in far-away places. Only a little time from now, and a hunt in a city will bring down on you a force of hundreds, perhaps thousands, of heavily-armed and organised humans."

The Predator shrugged. "There would be neither sport nor honour in that." He noted. "I will take your message, but I cannot guarantee that all the Tribes will agree."

Then there was a bellow of "View halloa!" from above, and all Hell broke loose.

Druitt had tracked them to this place, had waited tensely until the others arrived.

"That's the only way in." He said. "It'll be guarded."

"I'm sure you can find another way in, John." Tesla pointed out. "Then we can make a two-pronged attack. Split their forces."

"I'll get up on the roofs." Druitt agreed. "As soon as I can see the Hunter, I'll signal."

"No killing!" Helen insisted. "Not unless it's absolutely necessary!"

Druitt nodded, then teleported away. Less than five minutes later, they heard his shout. As she charged down the alley behind Tesla and Watson, Helen couldn't help smiling at Druitts' use of a traditional hunting cry.

They reached the end of the alley unopposed. Then Tesla, who was in the lead, was grabbed, swung round and slammed against the wall with enough force to break the bones of an ordinary man.

"Please resist." Strax invited. "It will make the evening so much more enjoyable!"

Tesla complied, going at the Abnormal with fang and claw. It was a savage brawl, while it lasted, but the end was inevitable. Strax was much quicker than his squat bulk promised, and though Tesla had the height and reach advantage, his claws seemed to make little impression on his opponents' tough hide. Strax bored in close, backing Tesla up against the wall and landing a series of weakening body-punches before going for, and getting, a solid headlock.

"That was entertaining." He said. "But time is limited. Do you concede, or shall I hold you like this for the rest of the night?"

Tesla, not without a certain wry amusement, conceded.

Watson was, if anything, in worse case as he found himself confronted by Jenny. Unlike Tesla and Druitt, he still retained his gentlemanly reluctance to strike a woman, for one thing. For another, his opponent was far more formidable than her slight figure promised. Watson was an expert boxer, fencer and singlestick player, and skilled in _savate_. He should have had the advantage in any fight. But Jenny was in twenty places at once, and fought in a style he hadn't seen before, darting in to land a flurry of punches and low kicks, before whirling gracefully away beyond any counter. She was wearing him down steadily, and after a few moments, he threw up his hands.

"I'm done!" He said.

Jenny gave an impish grin. "And here's me just gettin' warmed up!" She said. "You're no fun, you aren't!"

Helen dashed to the centre of the court, where she could see Druitt locked in combat with the Hunter. She had her revolver out, hoping to either get a lucky shot, or use the threat of the firearm to force a surrender. But then a tall figure loomed in front of her. There was a blaze of pain in her right hand, and Madame Vastra stepped back, holding the revolver. One-handed, she flipped the cylinder out, emptied the bullets onto the ground, and tossed the weapon away.

Helen, desperate, went in, attempting to use _jiu-jitsu_, only to find herself flat on her back among the weeds and litter.

"We are not men, Dr Magnus." Vastra said patiently. "We have no need to prove our prowess or potency against each other. Now watch and wait."

She stepped aside, so that Helen could see Druitt and the Hunter. As Helen climbed to her feet, she realised that what she was watching was not a fight, but a duel.

They fought with long knives, circling within a small area, fully focused on each other. As if by mutual, unspoken agreement, the Hunter didn't go invisible, and Druitt refrained from teleporting. There was feint and counter-feint, brief flurries of attack, after which they would step back. Both had several fresh, shallow wounds that bore testimony to their skills in attack and defence. Then Druitt fell for a clever feint, there was a brief whirl of motion, and his knife spun away. The Hunter had him by the knife-arm, blade at his throat. Druitt grinned and glanced down. The Hunter followed his look. In Druitts' left hand was a short but quite deadly knife, a quarter-inch from the Hunters' groin.

For a moment, nothing moved. Then the Hunter made a harsh, gurgling sound that, for all its alien tones, was unmistakably a laugh. Slowly, he put up his knife, then released Druitts' arm and stepped back. Druitt relaxed and acknowledged his opponent with an inclination of his head. The Hunter put away his own knife, then pulled another from the back of his harness, which he presented to Druitt hilt-first, speaking as he did so.

"A trophy from a previous hunt, given to honour a worthy opponent and a noble fight." Vastra translated.

Druitt accepted the knife with a short bow. It was a long dagger of Eastern workmanship, with a silver hilt inlaid with lapis lazuli, a single sapphire for a pommel and a grip of soft leather. The gracefully curved blade was, if Druitt was any judge, forged from Damascus steel.

The Hunter now turned and addressed Vastra and Magnus. Vastra translated again.

"He thanks us for an excellent hunt, though he is unaccustomed to being the quarry. He found the experience novel, but is not anxious to repeat it! He intends to leave Earth as soon as possible, and will warn his people to stay away from our cities."

With that, the Hunter resumed his mask, and vanished from view. By this time, the others had joined them.

"You want us to just accept his word?" Helen said to Vastra.

Vastra shrugged. "We will get nothing else. They are an honourable race."

"I believe him." Druitt hefted his new knife. "I'd almost forgotten what honour was. He reminded me."

"So, Dr Magnus, unless you wish to make another fruitless attempt to persuade us into your Sanctuary, I think the matter is now closed." Vastra pronounced.

Helen left that fight for another day.

The weather broke the following day in a tremendous thunderstorm. At the height of it, there were reports of a blazing light shooting upwards out of the Thames and streaking into the sky. Distinguished scientists pontificated about ball lightning and electrical phenomena. Temperance campaigners, more prosaically, deplored the effects of strong drink upon sailors and shore workers.

Helen Magnus, on the other hand, was now faced with the very real possibility that Vastra had been right about the unearthly origin of the Hunter. If she was right about that, what else was she right about?

Helen went for a walk in the rain to clear her head. As she returned, she saw an unfamiliar figure waiting near her door. As soon as he saw her, he approached her directly. A very tall, thin man wearing a long coat and a tall hat. As he came near, she saw a high forehead, piecing eyes, a pointed jaw and a mobile mouth.

"Helen Magnus?" He asked. "You've been annoying some friends of mine. I think it's time we had a talk. I'm the Doctor."


End file.
